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Potassium is an essential mineral which functions as an electrolyte and helps conduct electricity in your body, as well as playing a role in muscle and nerve function, heart function, digestion, forming proteins from amino acids and carbohydrate metabolism. Many foods contain potassium, including vegetables, fruits, seafood, dairy products and meat.

Vegetables

Many of the best sources of potassium are vegetables. A baked sweet potato contains 694 milligrams of potassium, or 20 percent of the daily value. A regular baked potato is almost as good of a source of potassium, providing you with 610 milligrams, or 17 percent of the DV. Other good vegetable sources of potassium include beet greens, which provide 19 percent of the DV per 1/2-cup serving, white beans, which provide 17 percent of the DV per 1/2-cup serving, and pureed tomatoes, which provide 16 percent of the DV. Beet greens are one of the lowest-calorie sources of potassium, since a serving only contains 19 calories.

Fruits

Eating fruit is a delicious way to increase your potassium levels. Particularly good fruit sources of potassium include bananas, which provide 422 milligrams of potassium per medium banana, or 12 percent of the DV; dried apricots, which provide 378 milligrams per 1/4-cup serving; and cantaloupe, which contains 368 milligrams per quarter-melon serving, or 11 percent of the DV. Other good fruit sources include one-eighth of a honeydew melon or 3/4 cup orange juice, which each contain 10 percent of the DV for potassium.

Seafood

Some types of seafood are also good sources of potassium. A 3-ounce serving of canned clams provides you with 534 milligrams of potassium, or 15 percent of the DV; 3 ounces of cooked halibut contains 490 milligrams and 3 ounces of cooked yellowfin tuna contains 484 milligrams, or 14 percent of the DV; and 3 ounces of Pacific cod provides 439 milligrams, or 13 percent of the DV.

Meat and Dairy

While all meats contain potassium, they contain less than the best fruit and vegetable sources. A 3-ounce serving of cooked center-loin pork chop contains 382 milligrams of potassium, or 11 percent of the DV, and is one of the better meat sources of potassium. One cup of non-fat milk provides the same amount of potassium as the pork chop, but yogurt is a better source of potassium, with an 8-ounce container of plain non-fat yogurt providing 579 milligrams, or 17 percent of the DV.

Supplements

Multivitamins usually only contain about 99 milligrams of potassium, or about 3 percent of the DV. Too much potassium can be dangerous, so only take potassium supplements if your doctor prescribes them. High-dose potassium supplements can cause side effects, which mainly include gastrointestinal problems but can also include an abnormal heartbeat and interfere with certain medications, including beta blockers and ACE inhibitors. People with kidney problems should not take potassium supplements and should limit potassium in their diet as it can make their kidney problems worse.